"The Mummy Returns" launched in over 3400 theaters across North America, benefiting from the foundation laid by "The Mummy," along with the effects of massive investments and extensive marketing. On its opening day, which was a Friday, it swept away $23.38 million from the North American box office, marking the highest single-day box office performance in North America since the beginning of 2001.
By Saturday, "The Mummy Returns" saw a 15% increase in its daily box office, earning $26.91 million from 3401 theaters.
In just two days, the film's North American box office earnings exceeded $50 million, declaring it a commercial triumph.
However, the film's critical reception was mediocre at best. IMDB rated it 6.5 out of 10 after two days, and Rotten Tomatoes showed a 47% freshness rating with an average score of 5.2, a noticeable decline in acclaim compared to "The Mummy."
"The sequel keeps adding jokes and showcasing digital effects but forgets the most crucial element - the storyline," critiqued professional reviewers.
"The film doesn't reach the heights of 'The Mummy,' with significant flaws in story logic. Brendan Fraser's performance is lackluster, making it quite mediocre."
"The mistake of 'The Mummy Returns' is neglecting character development, especially Brendan's role, which remains superficial. The plot serves merely as a clothesline for special effects and action scenes. Without relying on 'The Mummy' from 1999, this sequel hardly has a storyline," Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times incisively commented.
On Metacritic, with scores from thirty-one professional media outlets, "The Mummy Returns" averaged only 48 points. This site, which aggregates reviews for movies, TV shows, music albums, and games, and then provides an overall score, is often used by many companies as a reference.
Of course, there were positive reviews.
"To most viewers, the film remains a brand-new adventure filled with magic. The thrilling journey, majestic battle scenes, excellent CGI, and strong visual impact will astonish the audience."
Such reviews seemed more like promotional ads by Universal Pictures, highlighting the film's major selling points in the most concise language.
Regardless of media and critic evaluations, the undeniable fact was that "The Mummy Returns" had a blockbuster opening weekend in North America.
Yet, the negative reviews would inevitably affect the film's box office trajectory.
"People love nitpicking too much," Matthew said, spinning in his chair at Angel Management Company's office, speaking to Helen Herman. "It's just a commercial entertainment film. Isn't it enough that people have a good laugh? Why overcomplicate things..."
Helen Herman, not busy at the moment, made two cups of green tea, placing one in front of Matthew, "Nitpicking? That's quite fitting for critics. It's their job and reason for existence."
She seriously added, "Don't underestimate critics. When you aim for awards in the future, their critique can be devastating."
Matthew nodded, understanding that columnists in newspapers aren't ordinary people. In America, where commercial interests prevail, would newspapers give column space to professional critics if they had no value?
"I just think there's no need to be so harsh on entertainment films like 'The Mummy Returns.' Is the film not enjoyable? To rate it so lowly..."
Helen Herman put down her cup, "While 'The Mummy Returns' is indeed entertaining, being entertaining doesn't necessarily mean it's good." She changed the subject, "I heard that Universal Pictures hired a professional survey company to conduct audience surveys in major cities across America."
Matthew, puzzled, asked, "Why conduct a survey?"
"I'm not sure," Helen Herman shook her head, "Perhaps Universal has some plans."
She inquired if Matthew had heard anything on set.
"No," Matthew spread his hands, "I haven't been involved in the early promotions, so I don't know their plans."
Even Helen Herman was in the dark, let alone him, a minor actor.
"Let's drop this topic," Helen Herman went back to her laptop, "Your role has received positive feedback. Many media and fans consider the Scorpion King as one of the film's highlights."
Hearing this, Matthew felt quite pleased, "Does this mean hard work pays off?"
Helen Herman cautioned, "In this industry, effort doesn't always guarantee returns."
Shrugging, Matthew stood to leave, "You always dampen my spirits. I'll go home and celebrate alone."
"Alright," Helen Herman didn't hold him back, "Don't disturb me for the next couple of days. I'm planning how to leverage the Scorpion King's buzz to create more momentum for you."
On his way home, Matthew bought a bunch of the latest entertainment magazines and newspapers, eager to find mentions of himself.
Unlike his minor role in "Band of Brothers," his portrayal of the ultimate villain in "The Mummy Returns" caught the attention of many publications, including "Entertainment Weekly," which highlighted the Scorpion King as a standout character in an otherwise mediocre film.
At Universal Studios, part of Universal Pictures, a meeting was underway discussing the future of "The Mummy" series.
"We should continue with 'The Mummy' series sequels instead of changing direction," said Jett Breton, Deputy Director of Universal Pictures' Production Department.
Philip Cleyton, the department's director, turned to Sean Daniel, the series producer, for his opinion.
"I believe we should be cautious about producing a sequel!" Sean Daniel emphasized the need to acknowledge the poor reception of "The Mummy Returns" and the risk of diluting fan enthusiasm with another sequel.
Jett Breton reluctantly accepted the idea of temporarily shelving the series, while Sean Daniel suggested monitoring Brendan Fraser's fitness and potential improvement in the coming years before deciding on his involvement in future sequels.
Philip Cleyton agreed that it was the safest approach, ensuring the "The Mummy" series remained a profitable venture without risking its reputation.
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